Closing West Sussex children and family centres ‘will decimate support’

Closing children and family centres across West Sussex ‘will decimate support’ available, Labour has suggested.
Little Footsteps Children and Family Centre in Storrington is one of those under threat of closure (Photo from Google Maps Street View)Little Footsteps Children and Family Centre in Storrington is one of those under threat of closure (Photo from Google Maps Street View)
Little Footsteps Children and Family Centre in Storrington is one of those under threat of closure (Photo from Google Maps Street View)

West Sussex County Council is facing huge budget pressures and a redesign of early help services would help it save £1.95milllion.

It is proposing to close 32 of 43 children and family centres, while all 12 Find It Out youth advice facilities would shut as well.

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The Tory-led county council, which has been calling for extra central government funding to avoid making cuts, said its priority for early help services is to work with the most vulnerable children and families.

Roffey's children and family centre in Godwin Way is one of those under threat of closure. Pic Steve Robards SR2101013 SUS-210501-092622001Roffey's children and family centre in Godwin Way is one of those under threat of closure. Pic Steve Robards SR2101013 SUS-210501-092622001
Roffey's children and family centre in Godwin Way is one of those under threat of closure. Pic Steve Robards SR2101013 SUS-210501-092622001

Linda Taylor, chair of Arundel and South Downs Labour Party, has warned these cuts will end up costing WSCC a lot more in the long term and have a devastating effect on families.

She said: “This proposal by will decimate support for families and children with the closure of centres that have been proven time and again to have been a lifeline providing physical and emotional support at a critical time.”

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She pointed out how children’s services were still recovering after a damning Ofsted report back in 2019, adding: “Now councillors are proposing to wreak havoc on early years provision too without any clear plan on how to replace the services. We urge people to sign our petition to try to stop this latest plan to ruin the chances for so many.”

In Arundel and South Downs five children and family centres are under threat and could lose the only physical provision they have – they are Petworth, Pulborough, Little Footsteps (Storrington), Angmering, Sussex Downs (Hurstpierpoint).

Other centres earmarked for closure include Horsham’s Harwood Road centre, Roffey, Southwater and Billingshurst.

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Proposed closure of 32 children and family centres in West Sussex to be discusse...

A ten-week consultation is expected to be launched in March, with a staff consultation following in August.

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The changes could mean bad news for some of the staff, with a number of jobs on the line. The report to the scrutiny committee said 25 posts had already been dropped by not replacing staff as they left – but as many as 50 more could go. The aim is to keep this to a minimum by relocating people to new roles.

Dan Sartin, branch secretary of UNISON West Sussex that represents the staff whose livelihoods are at risk, said: “This is an unacceptable loss of a brilliant service. Staff have been superb and gone the extra mile during Covid-19, so this will feel like a kick in the teeth. WSCC must change its mind.

“It was not that long ago the former Leader of the council lauded the service and was pleased to take the bouquets which came with positive, national recognition for the work Early Help staff did.

“Such a short time later we are expected to believe that the service is not meeting its aims after all and is safe to cut back to a shell of its former self. I don’t think that will wash with the public, still less the people who are grateful to use its services every day.”

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He added: “The county council really must be doing more to lobby its local Tory MPs. What is the point of having this representation at Westminster if it cannot save the county’s jewels in the crown from being smashed?

“The government has shown over the past nine months it can find whatever money it wants, yet the best of local government is thrown under a bus, time and time again. We need the council leader to exercise some real leverage here.

“Meanwhile the council should put a stop on all the cuts, and instead use reserves and borrowing to plug the gap caused by central government under-funding.”

A report to the Children and Young People’s Services scrutiny committee, which is due to meet on Thursday (January 7), pointed out that ‘only a small part’ of the Early Help work actually took place in the centres, with most being carried out in people’s homes, schools or online.

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Footfall at some of the centres was described as ‘very low’, with many of those most in need of help not attending.

Jacquie Russell, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Rather than expecting vulnerable children and families to come to us, our plan is for our staff to go to them.

“These proposals are about doing the best we can for vulnerable children and families. Any changes made will be subject to full and thorough consultation where I would encourage people to come and have their say.”

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